Life on the Other Side
by Stormbreaker99
Summary: Kuzon Shin, the brother of Shoichi and Raiden, has lost both his brothers to the death game known as SAO. Now with the two older siblings missing, he will face the difficulties of the world without their support. Follows OCs and is a companion piece to "Band of Brothers."
1. Down by Two Shins

**Update: I have decided to split the real world story up with the SAO one. I'll focus more on Band of Brothers, but this one will be periodically updated as well. **

* * *

**Down by two Shins**

**December 24, 2022 – The Shin Household**

The day started off like any other December day in Japan. Snow was falling, cars were driving and the sun was shining. Frost coated the outside of Kuzon's window and the warmth from within misted the glass. With the shades slightly open, the light shone straight at the youngest Shin brother, waking him up. Groaning, Kuzon rolled off the bed into a push-up position. He zombie walked out his door and over to the adjoining bathroom. Several minutes later, he stepped out. His brownish-black eyes were still dull as he headed downstairs. His same colored hair was brushed flat and proper. The blue pajamas he wore were slightly wrinkled and his socks were hanging loosely from his feet. Kuzon plodded heavily down the stairs and into the kitchen.

Mama Shin looked up from the counter as her son walked in. She noticed his perfect hair and smiled gently. "Hey honey. How are you today?"

Kuzon grinned up at his mom and said, "I'm fine mum. Just a bit tired. That little extra hour of training yesterday wore me off." He leaned down to give her light kiss on the cheek. "Man, dad hasn't lost his edge."

His mom giggled and a dreamy look crossed her face. "No, no he hasn't." Kuzon couldn't help but smirk. His parents were still madly in love. That was always a good thing.

Leaving his daydreaming mom by the sink, Kuzon opened the refrigerator door. He eyed the rows of fruits and juice bleakly. Of course it was all healthy stuff. No meat in sight. Gah, ever since Sho and Raiden disappeared, Kuzon has been stuck eating all the vegetables. Figures. The one thing _they_ leave their brother is a pile of green leafy things. Yuck.

Deciding to go for the least green looking thing, the thirteen year old Shin grabbed the box of apple slices. He used his foot to close the door and dropped down on to a chair. He started munching and scanned the cupboards for more food. Remembering his cornflakes, Kuzon walked over and grabbed the box. He crunched on a few more slices before putting the fruit box away. With a cup and a bottle of milk, he ate silently as he thought over the last month or so.

He remembered the first day of Sword Art Online's launch. His brothers were so excited to play the game. Raiden was literally hopping from one foot to another. Sho was calmer but Kuzon could sense his anticipation. When the two brothers had hooked in, Mama Shin prepared a delicious meal of chicken, rice and broccoli. Of course, the two didn't get to enjoy it.

Chaos erupted within the Shin household when Raiden's radio channel proclaimed the calamity. All ten thousand SAO players had been locked within the game. If anyone attempted to remove the NerveGear, ZAP! Instant death from heated radio waves.

Yeah, joy.

When his parents heard the news, they instantly ran upstairs. Kuzon's mom had tried to take off Sho's device, crying as she rushed forwards. However, his six foot eight father had restrained her. He dragged her wailing form away from the still body and left his son in the room. Kuzon just stood there, staring at his brother. He slowly kneeled down as a single tear leaked out. A wave of emotions crashed against the shores of his heart. He mustered some form of defense against the assault and muttered quietly.

"Don't worry Sho. I'll hold the fort."

It was these seven words that resounded in Kuzon's mind as he prepared himself for school. He brushed his teeth and changed into his uniform before eyeing his near perfect hair. Deciding on a more… rambunctious look, Kuzon tussled it up in Sho's usual manner, the one when he forgot to cut his hair for several months. Seeing as how he might go all the way, the young Shin grabbed his hair spray. He carefully spiked his locks up so that they looked almost _exactly_ like the messy durian that was on top of his older brother's head. Kuzon grinned and said, "Perfect," admiring his new look. A few minutes later, he kissed his mum goodbye and set off for the bus stop.

* * *

**December 24, 2022 – School Courtyard**

To say that he drew strange looks was an understatement. Kuzon literally blew the minds of all the middle school students. He shattered old fashion statements and started new ones. His two close friends, Haru and Takao, had their mouths hanging open. With a winning smile, the Kuze, as he was sometimes known, walked up.

"Hey guys. What's up?"

Two pointer fingers rose up and pointed at the abomination that claimed Kuzon's head. The youngest Shin brother chuckled and said, "Hey, it's a new look. What do you think? Look like Sho?"

Both heads nodded.

"Alright then. No other comments?"

"Uhhhh… well… are you _sure_ you want to look like… that?" mumbled Haru.

Kuzon frowned and lifted his eyes up. "Why? What's wrong with it?"

"Er, you look kinda like a porcupine," said Takao.

"So what? That's how Sho looks every day."

"And last I checked, Shoichi was a loner who spent his time studying Calculus and Physics."

Kuzon stiffened. He breathed out slowly as a flash of anger spiked through him. He scowled menacingly and said, "Seriously Takao? Did you _really_ just say that?"

Takao was taken aback by Kuzon's fierceness. He backed off slightly with his hands up defensively.

"Hey hey. I didn't mean it like that. It's just that if you want to maintain your popular status, you'll have to get rid of … that."

Kuzon's black and brown eyes narrowed. He couldn't believe. Did his friends care so much for status that they'll intentionally knock him down for celebrating his brother? Did they not care that his brother, his oldest brother, was trapped in a flipping death game with a hard ass task ahead of him? He angrily growled in an animalistic way.

"Yeah? Fine. Forget my popularity. Screw it. If I can't wear my bro's hair and be cool at the same time, then I'll drop it. I don't need that nonsense."

He turned around and tightened his fists. His back was straight and his backpack slung over one shoulder. It was his usual look when walking to school. That was what the "cool kids" looked like. Well, frick them. With his other hand, Kuzon looped it through the other strap and readjusted his bag. He zipped up his jacket and began to walk away.

"Frick you guys. Come talk to me when you accept my hair and my brother."

* * *

**December 24, 2022 – Homeroom**

A very angry Shin walked into homeroom with a dark scowl. He crashed down on his chair at the back of the room and looked around. Sighing heavily, he stood up and walked to the front row. He chose the seat right in front of the chalkboard and right by the teacher's desk. Blazing eyes flicked over to a math notebook and Kuzon grabbed it, reviewing the notes from last night. While he worked, his mind stewed over the reactions in the courtyard. There were all sorts of different facial features to his new look. The girls had on bemused faces, wondering what happened to the incredibly neat and charming young man that they knew. Kuzon's enemies were cackling with laughter. They couldn't believe that he'll do something so "awfully stupid and humiliating." Even worse was what his friends had said.

_If you want to maintain your popular status, you'll have to get rid of… that._

He kept eyeing the random numbers and symbols on his page before rolling his eyes. Nothing clicked. Groaning, he put it away and placed his head on the desk. Heavy breaths leaked in and out of Kuzon. He tried to rein in the immense sadness and anger that forced itself on his chest. He smiled at the wooden surface and thought, _'Look at me. I feel pathetic. No, I feel like Sho, alone, cold and isolated. How can you keep that up bro? Nothing gets at you and nothing fazes you.'_ Kuzon's smirk grew wider while he examined the grains of the wood._ 'Wonder what you're doing right now. Probably kicking ass and taking names. That's what you and Raiden do.'_

With his head face down, small murmurs of conversation reached Kuzon's ears. He frowned as he concentrated on the voices.

"Hey, what happened to him?"

"I don't know. He seems sorta moody today, kinda like Shoichi."

"Yeah, what's with his hair?"

"Don't know. He flipped on Takao in the courtyard. Looked like he was gonna hit him."

"Really? Wow, good thing he didn't. Takao would be hospitalized. Those Shins are tough."

"You can say that again. Jeez, have you seen the guy fight? He's amazing. His brothers are even better."

"Doesn't he take sword lessons?"

"That's what I've heard. Haven't seen him use one though."

Kuzon grinned at the different voices that pitched in. _'So this is what it feels like to be talked about. Seriously Sho, how _do_ you manage it? I have half the mind to get up and talk some sense into them. Clear things up a bit.'_ Resisting that urge, Kuzon listened as another noise came into being. It was the clip clop of heels. With quick scrambling, the students filed to their seats. The teacher, Mrs. Kumori, walked into the room and looked the kids sternly.

"Students, please be quiet as I take attendance."

* * *

**December 24, 2022 – Math Class**

"Alright class. Can you tell me the answer to this question?"

Kuzon frowned as he stared at the numbers that littered the chalkboard. Some of them made sense while others buzzed around randomly. He continued to stare at the problem before his hand shot up.

"Mr. Shin? Do you know the answer?" The teacher had on an incredulous look and looked down at his seating chart. After making sure that, yes, it was the youngest Shin; he waved for him to come up to the front. "Go on, solve it for us."

Kuzon grinned and silently walked up front. He grabbed a piece of chalk and paused, staring at the challenge problem. His mind flashed back to one of Sho's math lessons. With a wider grin, he placed the chalk on the board and began to write. Several minutes passed and Kuzon placed down the piece of chalk. He grinned and looked back at the students. A collected gasp came out from the people in the room. Kuzon winked at them. He turned to the teacher and said, "That would be the right answer correct?"

"I-I… who taught you that? That method's highly advanced," mumbled the stunned man. He scanned over the math work again. Yes, it was correct. Not only that, it was the best technique for this specific problem. Only one person had shown him that in the past. That was when the realization dawned on him. Of course. He smiled and waved the youngster back to his seat. "Well done Mr. Shin. Please sit down."

Kuzon smirked and walked slowly down the aisle. A few whispers snuck past him. He winked at the smartest girl in the class and she blushed slightly. His eyes picked out her notebook and his smirk grew even wider. _'Wow, even _she _didn't figure it out. Thanks bro.'_ Pride swelled in his chest as he took his seat. He concentrated on the teacher's next words as the class continued. Suddenly, he felt a finger on his shoulder. Looking back, he caught the eye of Haru. Kuzon scowled and turned around. His friend poked him again and whispered, "Who taught you that? You weren't _that_ good at math."

"Yeah? Well, sorry to burst you bubble," came the gritted response.

"What's your deal dude? You've been acting up all day."

Taking in a deep breath, Kuzon gripped the edges of the desk. His knuckles were white and his eyes blazing. He could feel his blood boil. Raiden's face flashed in his mind and slowly, Kuzon calmed down. He growled before furiously tackling the next set of problems. The surrounding students stared at him warily. Takao decided to question Kuzon with a trembling voice.

"H-hey… Are y-you o-okay?"

Kuzon growled again. "Buzz off."

"I-I was just asking."

"Then ask someone else." He finished another problem and proceeded to the next.

"Seriously Kuzon, what's wrong with you?" Haru whispered. He glanced at the teacher before prodding his friend.

"I said buzz off!"

The students reared back and watched Kuzon stand up. He growled at them with clenched fists. Looking at the confused teacher, he strode towards the door.

"Bathroom," he mumbled.

"Er, okay," said the teacher. He shook his head and turned back to the class. "Okay, who made Kuzon angry?"

All heads turned to Haru and Takao. They shrunk down at the attention and mumbled a few jumbled words. The teacher eyed them before walking towards their desks.

"Okay. Explain to me what happened."

"I asked Kuzon a question and he just… got angry."

"Ye-yeah. He just turned on Haru."

'_So that's the problem,' _thought the teacher. _'I was wondering what was wrong with him.'_ His mind went back to Kuzon's hair and he smiled.

"Go easy on him please. He's been through a lot. He did lose his two brothers."

"W-what? Sho and Raiden are dead?!"

The blatant exclamation made the teacher cringe. He was about to respond when he heard another voice. All eyes turned to the Shin at the front of the class.

"Dead? That's funny. Last I checked, Sho was a loner right?" Kuzon's eyes pierced into Takao's. "Heck, loners don't die. They survive and they live. That's what my brother is doing right now. He's living his life, staff in hand. I don't know about you mate, but he's a thousand times better than you'll ever be."

Silence permeated through the room after Kuzon gave his say. He strode up to the chalk board and picked up the eraser. With a few quick swipes, he started to write.

"Wanna know how I solve the problem? Look and learn bud. Sho had this thing figured out in a heartbeat. Even Sirene didn't get the answer."

As Kuzon wrote, he felt the anger begin to fade. He felt the pride rise again and he smiled when his work was completed.

'_Thanks Sho,'_ he thought as he explained his methods.

* * *

**December 24, 2022 – Hallway Commute**

Kuzon was currently in the middle of grabbing his books when he felt someone latch on to him from behind.

"Kuzon! I missed you!"

Stifling his groan of annoyance, Kuzon said, "Yeah, I missed you too Aiko."

"Doesn't seem like it," purred the curvy young teen. She gripped Kuzon's shoulders and rubbed her cheek on his neck. The Shin resisted the urge to back kick her to the ground. That would not have been good for anyone. So instead, he just placed his books down and turned around. He plastered on a fake smile and gave her a quick hug. "Alright alright. Now let go would ya? I've got class to go to."

"Why are you in a hurry?" Aiko whined. She leaned up against him and whispered, "Skip class with me."

Kuzon rolled his eyes and gently pried her off. "No thanks. I've got grades to maintain." He bent down to grab his books. When he looked up, he stared into the black eyes of another girl. For some strange reason, Kuzon lost his breath. He froze up as she shyly waved at him. Wondering what was taking so long, Aiko glanced over at the foreign girl. She saw a black haired and black eyed teen that was about a few inches shorter than Kuzon. To her, the other girl didn't look so impressive. Her face was cute and she had a few bodily curves, but other than that, they definitely did not match what Aiko had. Miffed by Kuzon's staring, Aiko leaned down and yanked on his arm.

"Come on Kuze. Stop staring at her. She's not so special."

"Wh-who is she?" mumbled the shocked guy.

"Her? People call her Miki. She just moved here."

"Miki…" whispered Kuzon as he stood up. He eyed the new girl once more before striding away.

"W-wait for me Kuzon!" Aiko yelled, hurriedly scrambling after him.

* * *

**December 24, 2022 – School Courtyard, End of the Day**

The voices of students flowed through the winter air. Everyone was bundled up for the weather. Little groups gathered together and chatted quietly, their breaths framed in the frosty air. Kuzon stood quietly to one side and observed the masses. He turned his head as he heard the slight scraping of feet. Again, he froze up and his mouth hung open. It was that Miki girl again. Nervous about a girl for probably the first time in his life, Kuzon turned around and averted his eyes. He felt a finger poke his jacket and jumped forwards. His heart leapt and he shook his head.

'_The heck is wrong with me?'_

Miki poked him again and he groaned inwardly. _'Please go away. Please oh please go away,'_ he thought desperately. _'I have no idea how this is happening but please go away.'_

Of course, his pleas were in vain.

Damn Fates.

The girl quickly pushed back a loose strand of hair and smiled. "Hi. A-are you Kuzon?"

Kuzon nodded mutely and slowly turned around to face her. "Uh, yeah. Yeah. That's me."

"Oh… that's good. I was worried I got the wrong guy."

Kuzon cocked his head sideways and examined her. He took in her angled face and black eyes. He saw that her straight black hair flowed down to about mid-back. She wore a purple jacket over the school uniform. In her hair was a single white clip. She had on what he assumed were fur boots. He wasn't so sure about them. Staring at her feet stupidly, Kuzon shook his head. "And why would you have the wrong guy?"

Miki blushed slightly and looked at the ground. "I was told by my dad to bring a greeting to your dad. Actually, I have it right here." She reached into her pocket and pulled out a wrinkled envelope. Kuzon took it and gave it a quick scan. Nope, nothing unusual and nothing dangerous. _'Wait, what? Where'd that come from?'_ He frowned before shrugging it off.

"Okay thanks. I'll give it to my dad." He pocketed it before waiting to see if Miki had anything else to say.

Miki bowed and said, "Thank you so much. That would mean a lot to my father."

Kuzon rolled his eyes and grinned at the girl's politeness. "Hey, no need to be polite. We're friends right?" He smiled his usual charming smile. Miki turned pink and glanced away.

"I… would hope so."

"Cool." Kuzon stuck out his hand. "Name's Kuzon Shin. Younger brother of Raiden and Sho. Third in command of the Shin dojo and Shin electric scooter."

Miki giggled at Kuzon's words. She gently took his gloved hands in her mittens. "Nice to meet you Kuzon-san."

Kuzon shook her hand quickly and rolled his eyes again. "Oy, no need for the honorifics. Call me Kuzon." Once again, he flashed her that winning smile and once again he got the same blush.

"So, I heard you were new. Where'd you come from?" Kuzon questioned her.

"The south."

"Ah, okay. Don't know much about the south but I hope they have good food."

Miki giggled. "It's not bad."

"Nice, very nice." Kuzon smiled at her and felt, well, something. He didn't know what, but he knew he liked it. It was much different from the other feelings he got when talking to girls. It was better, much better. He was about to say something when an arm wrapped her. A guy appeared by her side, glaring at the young Shin.

"Hey Miki. Where were ya? I was looking all over da place. I thought you didn't like to be lonely babe."

Kuzon narrowed his eyes and examined the new guy. From that little exchange, he figured that it was her boyfriend. He took in the taller form of the eighth grader. The dude had wiry brown hair and a thick face. His equally thick neck attached to wide shoulders and big arms. His chest matched his large body and his legs. He wore a black leather jacket with a … gold chain? _'The hell? What do you think this is, America? You ain't no rapper.'_ Kuzon frowned and took in the rest of the dude's outfit. He wore the typical uniform's pants and fancy new tennis shoes. Studying the guy's pants again, Kuzon realized that it was sagging a bit. Kuzon's eyes rolled in their sockets. He knew these guys. They were the so-called "Japanese hipsters." It was a new wave of fashion and style. To be "hip," one had to dress like an American, one with "swagg" and "YOLO."

Pfft, seriously?

What a try hard.

Seeing that Miki looked a bit busy, Kuzon waved and turned. He started to walk towards school gates. A few seconds later, he felt her hands on his shoulder. He froze up and slowly pivoted.

"Can I help you?"

Miki blushed and gave his a ripped up piece of paper from the edge of her notebook.

"That's my phone number. I-if you have time, c-call."

Kuzon's one eyebrow rose up as he took the paper. He glanced back at the "hipster."

"Um, won't your boyfriend be angry?"

Miki glanced furtively back at the guy who was talking with some friends. "I… me and him… aren't really… uh, a couple."

There went the other eyebrow. Kuzon stared at her incredulously. "Then what was with all that contact?"

The girl nervously twirled a few strands of hair around her finger. "Well… we are… _technically_ a couple. It's just that… I don't really like him."

"Then why the blazes are you going out with him?" Kuzon asked in a rather blunt way.

Miki blushed and glanced around. "I… didn't want to. There was a lot of peer pressure. He… just kind of asked me out on my first day."

Kuzon nodded sagely. He understood. Heck, he was assaulted with the pressure every day. If it wasn't for his charm, he wouldn't have been able to back out. "So what's his name exactly?"

"Kent and… he's kinda mean," Miki whispered. "I… honestly don't like him."

Kuzon nodded again. "Okay, so what can I do help?"

The black haired girl blinked a few times. "I-I didn't ask for help."

"Really? Okay then." Kuzon glanced behind him and spotted his bus. "Hey look, I got to go. See you later." He turned and began to walk.

"R-right… see you."

Kuzon smiled and moved a few more yards before he heard a yelp. He whipped around and saw Miki struggling in Kent's grasp. He had one hand firmly wrapped around her waist and the other in her hair.

"What the hell were you doing talking to that bozo? Who gave you permission?"

Miki squeaked and struggled in the guy's grasp. "H-hey! Kent? L-let go!"

Kuzon watched and felt a flash of anger. He tried to push it down, to shove it away and not get involved. However, Raiden's calm voice entered his thoughts.

'_And you're just gonna stand there? Go help her!'_

Sho appeared beside his younger brother and smirked.

'_At least kick the jerk's ass. Forget chivalry and whoop his ass just because you can.'_

Kuzon rolled his eyes at his imaginary brothers. _'Wow guys. That's opinions from _both_ ends of the spectrum.'_

Sho grinned before pointing at the burly hipster. _'Well, go on. Kick his ass.'_

Raiden nodded. _'As much as I hate to agree with Sho on some areas, go do it. Save Miki and whoop his hide.'_

Kuzon smirked and rolled his eyes again. _'You guys got all violent all of a sudden.'_

'_I blame Batman.'_

'_And I blame the system.'_

'_Yeah? Well I blame Batman _and _the system.'_

'_Oh don't get started.'_

The younger Shin didn't even have to guess who said what. It was quite clear to him. Walking casually, he stepped up to Kent.

"Hey dude. Let go would ya?"

Kent turned his brown eyes to Kuzon's mixed ones. "Fuck off shrimp."

The seventh grader smiled lightly. "Ah, but you're only like an inch taller than me. How does that make _me _a shrimp?"

"I said fuck off!" Kent yanked Miki by the arm and began to stalk away. She yelped again and Kuzon narrowed his eyes. He flashed his arm out to grab Miki's other one gently but firmly.

"Let go."

Kent grinned evilly. He bared white teeth and dropped Miki's hand. She quickly scrambled behind Kuzon. She latched on to his shoulder and he said, "Where'd he hurt you?"

"My wrists."

Kuzon nodded and slowly backed away. He made some distance and whispered, "Stay back." He felt Miki grip his shoulders before letting go.

"So, Kent… you done harassing women?"

Kent snarled and pulled up his pants. He buckled it down before sauntering over to Kuzon. The Shin had his feet planted evenly on the ground. His right foot was slightly behind his left one and his hands were tucked behind his backpack, gripping one of the straps. He grinned as the older guy came closer.

"So that's what the cool kids do huh? Hurt girls and spew poetic nonsense? Wow, nice."

Kent smirked and stopped about a yard from Kuzon. "At least I'm not down by two Shins."

A collected gasp came up from the surrounding group of students. They had gathered when they saw the commotion. Takao and Haru both ran forwards and started to apologize.

"Sorry about him Kent. He doesn't know what he's doing. He's kinda off it today."

"Yeah, it was a big misunderstanding. No need to get angry."

Kent flexed a muscled arm, showing off to the crowd.

"You see these guns? They'll be the ones ripping up that precious Shin over there."

Kuzon had to hold back a bark of laughter. He immediately imagined what his brothers would say.

'_Oh come on dude. Those biceps don't mean jack shit! Bet you can't take a triple kick combo to the head.'_

Raiden joined Sho's voice. _'Please. Strike his armpits with that claw move that dad showed us. He can't flex those so-called guns without his joints.'_

Kuzon rolled his eyes and banished his brothers from his mind. He readjusted his stance and waited for Kent's actions. The guy was still showing off and noticed the bored looking teen. With a cocky smile he strode up and swung a meaty fist. Kuzon barely blinked and whipped his backpack off his back, smacking the move away. Following the spin, Kuzon struck with the heel of his right foot. It bit deep into the unprotected stomach of the off balanced Kent. After making his move, Kuzon shuffled back and smiled with the same calm smile.

"So, what about those guns and shredding?"

Kent breathed heavily from the strike. Takao and Haru both retreated away when they saw Kuzon's sudden attack. They watched in awe as he dropped his bookbag with a thump. He spread his hands out by his side and said, "Come and get me Kent."

Kent roared and ran forwards. He swung a fist at Kuzon's face. Instead of hitting flesh, he punched air. A second later, his body jerked. A mighty force struck his side, knocking him down to the icy ground. He grunted, scraping his hands. His vision blurred when he moved and his ribs throbbed. He looked up to see Kuzon's smile. A pair of hands tightened around his collar and he was slowly lifted up.

"Get up mate."

Kent's vision swam. He snarled and lunged forwards, scratching at Kuzon's throat. That was his second mistake. Kuzon collapsed his elbows on Kent's hands, locking them tight. He yanked backwards. Kent was pulled forwards and right into Kuzon's rising knee. The hipster grunted only to be knocked back to the ground with Kuzon's two tight fists. The move was a form of tai chi taught by Kuzon's uncle. In a series of smooth moves, the Shin had yanked Kent's momentum to him before redirecting it back. He eyed his handiwork on the ground. The guy was sprawled with limbs splayed over the cobblestone. The entire left side of his face was bruised and starting to blue up. His hands had light gashes from his second fall. Not only that, Kent knew that his ribs must be severely damaged. That kick and knee were nasty. Groaning, the former hipster reached down to pull up his sagging pants. He heard Kuzon's dry tone and looked up.

"So. We done here?"

Not one to be put down easily, Kent shruggled to stand up. He spit out a glob of spit and said, "You're still down two Shins Kuzon. You'll never get them back. Never. They won't survive in that game."

The words slammed into Kuzon with as much force as Raiden's powerful sidekicks. He stumbled back a step, breathing heavily. He gasped as all the air left his body. Suddenly, a pair of hands gripped his shoulders. He spun around with a raised fist only to meet Miki's eyes. Still panting, he backed off from her. He looked down at his hand and spoke softly. Due to the pervading silence, the words rang through the courtyard.

"Yeah? Well let me tell you something _Kent_," spitting out the guy's name in disgust. "My brothers may be trapped in game, but I'm sure as hell that they're doing their best to clear the damn thing. You want to know why? Because they have fricking morals that _you_ lack. Raiden would never harm a girl like that. Sho? I don't know what he'll do but I do know that he'll be there, providing backup to whatever the situation requires. Don't you dare say that they won't make it out. They will definitely get out and they'll do so with the rest of the other players."

Kuzon tightened his fists and stared at the snow covered ground. "Not only that, they're one of the best fighters around. If you can't take me, then you definitely can't take Sho and Raiden. That's one on one by the way. Together, those two would be unstoppable. So yeah, I _do_ think my brother would get out. I'm bloody damn sure that they will and I dare you to prove me otherwise."

Kuzon glared at the downed figure. Miki placed her hand on his shoulder and he gave her a grateful smile. Then, he heard gasps and murmurs. The crowd split like the Red Sea to reveal a stern faced principal, Mr. Hisaki. His gaze roamed over the congregation before resting on Kuzon.

"Mr. Shin. Is this your doing?"

Kuzon straightened up. He opened his mouth, but was interrupted by Miki who spoke first.

"No sir," she mumbled politely. "It was my fault. I accidentally angered Kent. He hurt me and Kuzon stepped in to stop him. He protected me and accidentally got into a fight. In the end, it was me who started it."

Kuzon raised an eyebrow at her words. He rolled his eyes and stepped forwards. "I also made sure I got Kent nice and good sir. The guy was being a jerk and completely immoral. I believe he deserved those wounds." He gestured to dude on the group. The principal frowned and gestured to both Miki and Kuzon. He then pointed at Kent.

"Meet me in my office immediately. You three have detention and maybe even suspension too."

Kuzon shrugged and started to follow after Mr. Hisaki. He stopped when he felt a soft hand grab his. His eyes flicked back to meet Miki's black ones. She blushed and let go. Flashing his most charming smile, he reacquired her hand and pulled her along.

"Oy, you're in this with me. You're gonna get into trouble too."

She blushed again and let him drag her towards the office.


	2. Christmas and Disney

**Christmas and Disney**

**December 25, 2022 - Christmas morning - Shin household**

It was that special time of year again. Jingle bells, red Santa hats, green lights and ornaments of all kind littered the streets and shopping malls of modern Japan. There were carolers, fake Santas asking for money, and bright flashing signs luring in generous amounts of money for the holiday shopping. The scene was one of magical wonder, filled with the hopes of children and the dreams of greedy capitalists. Raiden would've loved the sight. Sho, on the other hand, would grumble about the drain of money it placed on poor, underpaid high school students who were forced to buy presents to conform with the general populace. The workings of capitalism placed a burden on people like him. Then again, he didn't really mind the other presents he would get.

Hypocrisy is a strange strange thing.

Kuzon woke up to the tasty aroma of blueberry pancakes. He quickly flipped upwards and glanced out the window. Piles and piles of snow heaped up on the landscape. Cars were covered with the heavy white powder. Kuzon spotted a set of footsteps coming from his driveway and hoped it wasn't his dad. Papa Shin had a strange way of starting Christmas morning. It usually began with some ridiculous training exercise in the dojo. His father took Xmas to a whole new level.

Semi-praying, Kuzon slipped on his Nike red socks and crept out of his room. He made his way to the bathroom to brush his teeth before stalking to the stairs. The Shin house contained three floors. The first floor was where the living room, kitchen, dining room (they mainly ate in the kitchen), and the study was located. The second floor contained the bedrooms of each family member. The stairs went straight up before turning to the left. It opened up to the three brothers' bedrooms situated in a straight line. The master bedroom was down the hallway and on the adjacent path to the right. The stairs continued to curve left, going up to the third floor. That was the guest floor where people could stay and sleep over.

Kuzon peeked down the stairs from the second floor landing. He looked at the shoe stand by the door and tried to identify his father's work shoes. Not seeing them there, he carefully walked down.

_'Hopefully dad's not home,'_ he thought, _'I don't want any Xmas right now.'_

Aimi Shin looked up from the pancakes when her son rolled into the kitchen. She watched as he carefully scanned her realm for any signs of a big hulking Navy soldier. "Your father is not home yet. He went to pick up your cousins remember?"

Kuzon grinned sheepishly as he stood up. "Right. I forgot."

"Now come and help me set up breakfast. They'll be home soon."

Kuzon nodded and walked over to the cabinet. He got out the plates, forks, glasses and napkins. Working quickly, he placed them on the dining room table. His mom then motioned to the refrigerator. "Milk and syrup." With a nod, Kuzon got out the items.

_Ding dong! Ding dong!_

Aimi looked up at the sound of the doorbell. She walked out of the kitchen and straight into her husband's bear hug. The six foot eight muscular man crushed his wife in his embrace. "Hello honey. I'm back."

"I... can tell," she gasped out. Realizing his mistake, Linh Shin gently let go with a rueful smile. "Sorry honey."

"It's alright dear. Where are the cousins?"

As if on cue, the extended Shin family burst into the kitchen. Kuzon watched them with a small smile. There were three girls and two boys along with their parents. He wondered how his father fit the entire group into the family van. Then again, his father could do amazing things.

Like build an entire third floor all by himself.

One of the male cousins walked up to Kuzon and patted him on the shoulder. "Hey man. Long time no see."

"Yep. How ya been?" he asked back.

"Not bad."

"Cool. So you hungry?"

"Yeah. Looks good."

"Yes it does," Kuzon said. He waved for the family to follow him into the dining room. They milled about for a few minutes before settling down at the large table. Papa Shin clanged a fork on his glass of milk.

"I would like to formally invite the rest of the family to our home. It's good to have you all here."

Words of thanks and agreement followed his little invitation. The family then dug into their food and began to eat.

* * *

**Presents time - Shin living room**

"And this one's for Kuzon," his aunt spoke sweetly. She handed the youngest Shin a small wrapped up little block that looked oddly like a hardcover book. _'I wonder what it is,'_ he thought with a grin. When he got the wrapping off, he saw that it was indeed a hardcover book. The brand new fantasy novel sparkled in the light. The fancy cover showed a dragon and a shining knight locked in mortal combat. It was the latest in a successful series.

"Thanks auntie," Kuzon said. He moved to hug her before going back to watching the others open their presents. The wrapping paper piled up to the side, their colorful shreds marking a tradition in the Shin family. The presents heaped up with various things. Kuzon got a set of sweaters and brand new jeans. He also got a small jar of acne cream along with a new comb. He chuckled slightly at the rapid pace that his cousins opened their gifts. His father had gotten the boys new kendo wooden swords while the girls got some fur boots. They giggled happily and latched on to the big man.

"Thanks uncle!"

"No problem," his father said while trying to pry off the leech-like women. Being successful, he gestured to Kuzon. "And there's another for you son."

Kuzon walked back to the Christmas tree and looked at the flat long box lying beneath the leafy green branches. It was about five inches by a few feet long. He didn't look at the gift tag and assumed it was from his father. Just to try to guess what it was, Kuzon lifted up the box. It was pretty heavy for such a thin thing. It also didn't seem to have anything special inside. _'No noise,'_ he thought, _'Wonder what it is.'_

"Oh hurry and open it," chattered his aunt.

"Yeah. Open it open it!" His cousins excitedly chanted the two words over and over again. Giving in to the pressure, Kuzon tore the wrapping paper apart. As his hands moved, he revealed more and more of the wooden box. Finally, he was able to see the present he was bestowed.

The box was made from a beautiful deep brown wood. _'What's that, mahogany? Oak? Maple?' _A fancy design swirled on top, looking oddly like a lotus flower. Gold and silver color crisscrossed at random intervals. A copper clasp held the lid over the ornate bottom. Kuzon stared at the wonderfully crafted case. It was absolutely magnificent. Whoever made this thing must've spent hours to get it like this. With almost shaky fingers, he undid the lock and lifted up the lid. What he saw inside took his breath away.

"I-I... wow..."

Inside laid a shiny new jian. Its hilt was a rich red color with the crossguard being silvery-blue. The blade glinted, throwing specks of light around the room. The rounded pommel had the same flowing lotus flower along with a red dangle. Kuzon reached for the weapon and took it out of its case. Underneath was a dark leather sheath, layered with the same lotus design.

"Amazing," Kuzon's uncle muttered. He admired the blade as it moved in the air.

"This is awesome," Kuzon said in awe. He stood up and gave the sword a few practice swings. The blade sliced through the air with a _whittt_, passing through it with ease.

"This is brilliant," mumbled the starstruck Shin brother, "Where'd you get this dad?"

Linh looked at him sadly and glanced at the wrapping paper. "Look at the tag Kuzon."

Curious now by his father's tone, Kuzon picked up the little rectangular tag. He almost dropped the weapon at what he saw.

**"To: Kuzon, our little brother.**

**From: Sho and Raiden."**

"Wh-what? Ho-how?" Kuzon stared at the little tag like it was a message from the underworld. His face paled and he visibly shook on the spot. "What does this mean? Dad? Dad?"

Linh rubbed his face and sighed. "This gift was something your brothers have been working on for ages. You see that box? Sho made that in his wood shop class. He programmed one of those carving machines to make that design. It took an entire week to get the thing to cut in curves like that. And do you see the sheath? That was Raiden. He did that in that new leather working club he joined. He even got some girl to help stitch in the lotus flower." Linh then paused to take a deep breath. "And the sword was ordered from a specialty swordsmith. They took the dimensions from your own weapon."

Kuzon nodded mutely. Crouching down, he ran a shivering hand over the sheath. "They even knew my favorite flower," he mumbled, tears forming in his eyes. "They even knew my favorite flower..."

Aimi scooted up to her husband and rested her head on his chest. She watched her teary son and felt the same liquid build up in her eyes.

"They... they knew my fa-favorite c-colors too... G-gold and silv-er... Gold and... silver..." The tears leaked from his eyes. Kuzon tried, he really did, but there was no stopping it. The fortress around his chest imploded from the tsunamis that slammed against it. "Th-they knew..." Still struggling, he turned to look at his father. "But how?"

His dad noticed the red eyes and understood. How did two comatose brothers manage to send their youngest sibling a Christmas present? Simple. "Sho and Raiden both showed your mother and I the completed gift two days before the incident. They... told me to hide it so that you couldn't find it. You know how you always know what they're up to."

Kuzon nodded and sniffed, quickly wiping away the unmanly tears. "So you hid it till now?"

"Yes. I thought I would carry out something that they would have done themselves."

Looking back down at his new sword, Kuzon reversed his grip to admire the lotus flower. He gave a bright smile and slashed in the air. "Those two always know what to do don't they?"

Aimi giggled at her son's behavioral change. "They usually do. Even Sho."

"Yes. Even Sho," Kuzo muttered, raising his sword into the air. The blade caught a flash of sunlight and reflected it to the ground. It lit up the sheath in a connection of illumination.

_'Sword and sheath,'_ the younger brother thought, _'None is without the other.'_

_'Just like my brothers.'_

* * *

**Sho's Hospital Room**

The doctor opened the door to room 404. She motioned for the family to step inside. Kuzon held an orange wax candle in his right hand and a blue candle in his left. Papa Shin carried a few balloons, and his wife had a small potted cactus along with a little figurine.

"Thank you doctor Mirani. It'll be just a few minutes."

The kind doctor bowed and stepped outside. The clean sterile room had a few chairs that sat near the door. A small sink was placed up against the far corner with a plastic screen covering the patient's sleeping area. Linh walked forwards to push the screen aside and stepped into the space behind it.

When Kuzon entered, he spotted a mass of black hair along with a full grown beard. He smirked at the pile of darkness peeking out from the NerveGear. Sho's spiky hair poked from all sides, making the helmet look like some sort of punk rock decoration. His eyes were closed and he had on such a strange smile that Kuzon almost expected his brother to snap awake and say something sarcastic. He would smirk and ask the family why they were so gloomy.

_'What? Did somebody die or something?' _He would say with a cocky grin on his face. '_Come on. Why the exceedingly long faces? It can't be _that _bad. It's not like I'm stuck in a virtual reality or something... wait! I _am_!'_

Kuzon could imagine his brother's laugh followed by a sarcastic reply to Raiden's much calmer one.

_"You know we're in a coma right?"_

_"Coma, schmoma. Right... You think I'll believe that? You're off your rocker bro."_

Setting down the orange citrus smelling candle, Kuzon smiled at his immobile sibling. "Hey Sho," he muttered, reaching into his red and white jacket for a lighter. He took it out and set the candle's fuse on fire. The flame burned orangey-yellow as the wax's smell started to leak out. "You always liked oranges didn't ya? There you go bro. Oranges all around." Kuzon looked at his brother and sat on the chair near the bed. His dad tied a few balloons to the headboard while his mum placed down the cactus. They both kissed their oldest son's forehead before looking up at Kuzon.

"We're going to Raiden's room okay? Meet us there when you're done."

The younger Shin nodded. He wiggled on the chair to make himself comfortable. His parents left, leaving him alone with his oldest brother.

"So... um... hey," Kuzon began. He winced at the start and shrugged. "Pretty lame huh? Anyways, merry Christmas!" He waved his arms around and made some trumpet noise. "Yep. It's another year of Baby Jesus, our Lord and Savior. You remember all that don't you? You did go to that Catholic school for two years. What was it every morning? The Hail Mary and the Our Father? Was that it? Heh, I bet you can still recite it can't you?"

Kuzon gave a small laugh and wiped at his eyes. "I cried today you know. I even came close to crying just now." He glanced away from the bed and continued to talk. "But you hate that don't you? You and Raiden both. You guys never cried. Not since I was born at least. I haven't once seen it. And why would you? Nothing can touch you Sho. You just move too fast for them. Bet that's how you're surviving in there right? You'll keep moving right along, dodging anything that comes too close. Am I right?"

Of course no answer came. Kuzon didn't really expect any either.

"Any who, I got detention a few days ago. Yep. First one this year. Whatcha think huh? Not bad?"

Kuzon felt his brother's presence sweep by him as he heard Sho's voice. _'I never really cared for rules. Then again, I never had to. So what if you got detention. Ain't the end of the world.'_

"Yeah but mom thinks so. She was furious with me."

_'Well what did you say to her? That you got into a fight with some guy and happened to knockout a few teeth of his?'_

Grimacing at his fake, imaginary brother's tone, Kuzon nodded, "Yeah actually. That's exactly what I told her."

_'... You know you don't say that to mum right?'_

"Of course I do," Kuzon replied, throwing his hands into the air, "But dad always told us to tell the truth! So I told the truth!"

_'About how you knocked some guy out.'_

"YES! Why's that so hard to understand?" The youngest brother's exasperated tone echoed throughout the room, clearly emphasizing the ridiculous predicament that his brother had brought up. He told the truth. That's it. There was no need for anything else. The truth was the best way to go.

_'Fine. So what else huh? Any other magical things I should know about?_

The younger brother shrugged. There really wasn't anything else to talk about. Life went on as usual. School, homework, clubs, and training repeated itself in a vicious cycle. It was interrupted by the occasional fight and outburst of detention. There really was nothing else he could talk about. Kuzon sighed and glanced over at the melon-shaped spiky green plant that sat on the bedside table. A small circular and almost fez-shaped red cephalium perched on top of the round dome. This genus of the melocactus was Sho's favorite. It apparently could do so many cool things. Kuzon wasn't so sure about that though; it looked just like any old cactus. Maybe it had some sort of healing property or something. Or maybe it sprouted into a full blown flower when it got older.

'_Or maybe, it depicts the thousands of years of evolutionary processes that shaped the melocactus to the shape and structure it is today.'_

"Sure," Kuzon said with a smirk, "Whatever you say."

'_Bah. You've never been one for science. Why do you think I like those things anyways? Because it _looks _cool?'_

"Well yeah. Why else would you like it?"

'_Aesthetic pleasure is hardly a factor when it comes to a damn cactus,' _Sho spoke with heavy sarcasm. _'That's like saying I eat meat because it smells good.'_

"Don't you?"

'_That's not the point.'_

Kuzon chuckled at the imaginary conversation that went on his head. He rolled his eyes and wondered what his friends would think. It probably wasn't good either. He would be labeled as a loony bin for sure. One doesn't talk with a static individual and not expect to be seen as insane, mental or off his fricking horse. Either way, it was weird and strange, something a popular kid like him _didn't _do.

"But who cares about popularity right? Long as I've got you two, I'm fine." The younger Shin leaned forwards and placed his head on his hands. He stared at his brother's silent figure and sighed again. "I kinda miss you you know. You and Raiden both."

Still no physical reply came back. His brother was motionless, unmoving, as dead as a doorknob. "I've also been having some… uh… girl problems," Kuzon admitted. "You remember Miki right? That girl that I saved from Kent? I don't know what happened, but she seems to be ignoring me now. She was all smiles and friendly one moment, and then the next; she's giving me the cold shoulder. Any advice?"

Nothing. Not a single sound.

The silence was deafening. It pulsed around the room and covered the very crevices of the white hospital. The clear entity squirmed and wiggled, layering the walls with a thick oozing quiet. Even the air didn't stir as Kuzon realized an important truth.

Sho was trapped. He was caged in a virtual world like a canary in the mines. Up until now, Kuzon didn't really think it was that bad. It was just another world, right? If his brothers were so strong in this one, what was the difference between the other one? Nothing besides extra coding and an entirely new environment.

_'No home field advantage, but that never stopped Sho nor Raiden.' _The youngest Shin sniffed and rubbed his itchy eyes. _'That never stopped either of them.'_

Still though, there was no sure fire way out. One hundred floors of hardships. That was what Kuzon had heard. That was what everyone had heard. The entire SAO incident had become world famous. People from all over the globe knew about it. They knew about the deaths and the anguish from both players and family members alike. The company that took over after the launch day even set up a website to provide aid and twenty-four hour surveillance on the server. Although Kuzon knew about this site, he purposely did not check. It would be too painful to see his brothers represented by numbers and letters. Could you imagine it? Thousands upon thousands of players typed out in a list. Each name protected by an ID and password, both given to the family members of the trapped victim. Click "Login" and the page changes into a full blooded report. Name, in-game name, date of entry (November 6, 2022), level, location, guild status and finally, date of death. All were shown in neat orderly lines with even spacing in between. It was that last category that everyone watched. They would cross their fingers and pray to the heavens, hoping that no numbers appeared.

After Kuzon recalled the worldwide news on the first day of SAO, he refocused on his brother's body. He examined Sho for a few seconds before standing up. "Alright bro. Don't go anywhere." His brother's immobile body didn't respond back, making Kuzon sigh. "It was a joke you know." Still no reply came back and Kuzon let out a heavy sigh. Even the sarcastic voice he imagined within his head no longer matched the real thing.

_'Guess my imagination isn't fit for the job,'_ he thought with a sigh, _'I can't even remember how he talks anymore.'_

Still waiting to see if he would get any sort of dry comeback, Kuzon carefully watched his brother's face. Once again the room was quiet except for the soft beeping of the monitors. "Nothing eh?" Kuzon asked with a smirk, "Fine. I'll see you then okay? Keep that _aesthetically_ pleasing cactus safe okay?" With that last jab towards Sho, he turned to leave the room.

* * *

**Raiden's Hospital Room**

Kuzon walked inside room 503 and pocketed the access card. He reached for the light switch to illuminate the darkened room. Ducking into the patient's area, he smiled and glanced around. "Hey Raiden. Nice place you got here." A few balloons waved in Raiden's place and the figurine stood on his desk. The blue candle burned slowly, letting out a nice blueberry sort of smell. Kuzon sighed and settled back into the chair by the bed. "So what's up?" he asked in earnest, "Anything new?"

Once again his imagination took over, trying to replacing the missing voice of his older sibling. _'Oh nothing much,'_ Raiden answered in a teasing tone, _'But I heard you got some girl trouble.'_

"W-what? How'd _you_ know?" There was no way his brother would have known that! What happened?!

_'Dude, I'm inside your head,'_ the voice said, _'I kinda know what you're thinking.'_

"That... would explain it," Kuzon mumbled, "That would clearly explain it."

Maybe he _was_ crazy after all.

_'Stop with the moping. Tell me what's wrong.'_

The younger brother glared at his motionless brother. Raiden's face had gotten just as hairy and bearded as Sho. However, instead of the hair concentrating on his chin and jawline like the oldest brother, the brown strands focused more on the area above Raiden's upper lip. A thick almost... worm-like creature lurked on his face. It looked rather uncomfortable and very itchy, sorta like a caterpillar with many hairs.

_'At least that one doesn't turn into a butterfly,'_ Kuzon thought with a shiver, _'That would be really nasty.'_

Trying to get his mind off of the horrendous monstrosity that was Raiden's mustache, Kuzon looked over at the figurine. "Say," he said with curious eyes, "Isn't that da Vinci?" He reached out and picked up the small six inch tall action figure. "That _is_ da Vinci! I knew he looked familiar!" Laughing rather happily, Kuzon set the toy back on the desk. "Of course dad got you that thing. You love the guy don't ya? Heck, you even admire the dude."

No reply came, but if Kuzon had to imagine one, it would go something like this: _'Ha, yeah I admire him. He's a genius. What's not to love about the one single most greatest man that has ever lived?'_

Rolling his eyes, Kuzon leaned down on the bed, placing his chin on his hand. "Single most eh? What about Picasso?" Silence followed his remark, which was to be expected. "Ah, I get it. You don't like artists." He was clearly wrong, but just wanted something to say. It was either that or letting his imagination answer for him.

_'Meh,'_ the younger brother thought with a shrug, _'Might as well right? At least I might get to hear him talk again, even if it _is _just me saying those things.'_

His imagination let loose, Kuzon gave a smile. "So anyways, I still have the problem with Miki. Did I tell you? One moment she's all touchy-feely and the next? She's looking the other way. It's like she's trying to ignore me or something."

_'Um... maybe she is,'_ Raiden's voice asked with a bit of confusion. _'Don't girls have mood swings?'_

"Okay," the younger brother answered with a wave of his hand, "You're starting to sound like Sho."_  
_

_'How should I know? You're the player in this family!'_

"I am _not_ a player! I'm just a chick magnet!"

_'Call it what you want,'_ Raiden shrugged mentally, _'But you get _all _the ladies. I think your first shutdown is getting to you.'_

"EXACTLY!" Kuzon exclaimed loudly, "I've never _once_ gotten rejected! This is maddening!" To prove his point, Kuzon rubbed his head quickly. "I'll grow gray hairs like this!"

_'Oh come now. Maybe she's playing hard to get?'_

"Maybe... but I've faced that too and I usually win after a few hours. No one can resist this smile." The Shin self-proclaimed chick magnet gave a bright and charming smile. He then shut off the women-grabbing grin with a sigh. "It worked a few times but stopped afterwards. Very annoying."

_'Maybe you should just be yourself?'_

Kuzon gasped in fear, "What? Be myself? What does that mean? That _is_ me!"

Somehow Sho must've snuck over from the hospital room over for a very sarcastic tone resonated in Kuzon's mind. _'Sure it is. Totally you. That swashbuckling, savvy, charming and white-teethed persona is you? Ha! That's as much a joke as Batman getting beaten.'_

Raiden frowned slightly, _'Didn't Bane beat Batman?'_

_'Oh please. That's what the Bat _wants_ you to believe. He had a backup plan the whole time.'_

"Okay stop mental brothers!" Kuzon yelled out to no one in particular. "First of all, Batman _did_ get beat in that last movie. Second of all, I'm having major girl issues here! This is not the time to dawdle!"

Mental Sho shrugged and said, _'Just go ask her why she's acting all weird. Be blunt about it.'_

_'Um, bad idea,'_ Raiden responded, _'You can't just say that to a girl. That's not the way to go.'_

_'Either that or you stay away from her. Two options. Move or burst through the problem to create more breathing room.'_

"Sho," Kuzon muttered with an eye roll, "She's not a tournament opponent. You're not trying to knock her out."

_'Fine. _You_ find a good method.'_

_'Why don't you just be yourself?' _Raiden offered again, _'It'll be so much easier. Just stay steady and true.'_

_'That... was the single most cheesiest line I've ever heard you say,'_ Sho mumbled in shock, _'Almost came out of a damn Disney book. Er, no copyright infringement intended.'_

_'Oh come on! You know it's true.'_

_'Maybe.'_

Kuzon just watched the back and forth between his two brothers. Their voices mingled and intertwined in his head to create an odd balance between calm and dry. It was an odd mixture, like a soothing warmth and a dry cutting cold. His brothers had always been like that, constantly balancing each other out in speech, action and thought. They fit perfectly almost like Ying and Yang.

_'First of all, you don't know the first thing about Disney,' _Sho said with an obvious eye roll. _'You barely even _watch _Disney movies!'_

_'Oh yeah? Name one Disney movie you've seen.'_

_'Heck,'_ Sho crowed cockily, _'I'll name five. Tangled, How to Train Your Dragon, Frozen, Wreck-It Ralph, and Lion King, the first one. Didn't really like the second one.'_

_'Now you're just naming names. Come on, tell me something a real Disney fan would know.'_

_'I watched Beauty and the Beast without HD.'_

_'Okay, you win.'_

Still letting the imaginary banter run, Kuzon finally decided to break in. "Okay. That's cool guys, but let's deal with some real issues here."

_'Um,' _Sho replied with an eye roll, _'This _is _serious stuff. Raiden insulted my Disney knowledge.'_

_'Because you lack it.'_

"Okay! Stop it this moment you two!" Kuzon shook his head fiercely as if trying to rattle up the voices of his brothers. "Look. Just help me figure out why Miki is being strange."

_'Hard to get.'_

_'Hard to get.'_

"Wow," the youngest brother said with a quirked eyebrow. "That was fast. So that's it huh?"

_'Yep.'_

_'Pretty much.'_

Sighing with closed eyes, Kuzon stood up and stretched. "Guess that wasn't so hard to figure out eh?"

This time, no response came back from his motionless brother. It must've been that time again. The imagination had shut down and only silence remained. _'Fantastic,'_ he thought wearily, _'And I was getting used to it too.'_ Glancing back at the da Vinci figurine on the table, Kuzon stood and patted Raiden on the shoulder.

"Stay safe okay?"

It must've been his rampant imagination for Kuzon could've sworn he saw his brother smile, wiggling the strange creature on his upper lip. A cloud then passed by the sun. The entire room was quickly shaded for a few seconds as Kuzon fixed the angle of the figurine.

"I'll see you later okay? You and Sho both. Keep da Vinci safe alright? Wouldn't want the genius falling off the table."

With one last look, Kuzon headed towards the door. In a few minutes, he left room 503 along with room 404. The glistening snow reflected the bright sunlight as the youngest Shin brother trudged back to his waiting parents. There were a few things he needed to think about. One of them involved a black-haired girl playing hard to get while the other involved Kuzon's true identity. Both may appear in some soap opera, but only _he _had two brothers to back him up.


End file.
